


Beyond Being You

by Writeinaworldgonewrong



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Badass Clarke, Drunk Clarke, Drunk Lexa, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/F, Finn Collins Being an Asshole, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, It’s College They Will All Be Drunk, Protective Lexa, Protective Lexa (The 100), Protective Raven, Romance, Roommates, Slow Burn, not really enemies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:27:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24060565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writeinaworldgonewrong/pseuds/Writeinaworldgonewrong
Summary: Leaving her small town to attend Polis University, Clarke meets Lexa, her new college roommate. What starts off as a difficult relationship with the beautiful and mysterious green eyed soccer player, leads to a series of events that could change everything for both girls.A very cliche college AU in which a rough start as roommates leads to the development of feelings for both Clarke and Lexa.
Relationships: Anya/Raven Reyes, Clarke Griffin & Lexa, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Octavia Blake/Lincoln
Comments: 32
Kudos: 111





	1. The Night Before

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody! This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter fic in years. I’ve recently started reading a lot of Clexa and have been inspired to write my own. 
> 
> I’m hoping this fic will restore my love of writing and hopefully offer something enjoyable to you, the reader. 
> 
> Please forgive me if it doesn’t read very well for the first couple of chapters, I’m still shaking the dust off my keyboard ;) It will be a couple of chapters until there is Clarke/Lexa interaction but once they meet that will be the focus of the story. Clexa endgame, so bear with my set up and any relationships you might not feel very strongly about, I promise they will not last forever.
> 
> Please let me know what you think, I have this story pretty much planned out but if it’s not reading well I will definitely make some adjustments.

Sweat began to coat Clarke’s brow, threatening to seep down and impede her vision. She blinked her blue eyes and refused to take her mind off the task at hand. She couldn’t afford the trivial distraction of stinging sweat in her eye at the moment. 

“He’s seizing!” Raven called desperately beside her, telling Clarke what she already knew but offering no help. The figure beneath the blonde’s practised steady hands began to shake violently as she moved the forceps deftly to avoid further damage. She knew there wasn’t much she could do now but she had to try. She heard the monitor on her other side pick up in near triple time. The beats were impossibly fast and she knew she was running out of time. She wouldn’t let that thought phase her concentration on the task before her. 

Running out of ideas, she threw the forceps aside. “Screw it!” She muttered. Clarke heard Octavia gasp from beside her as she fished her finger carefully into the cavity, taking as much care as possible to not touch anything other than her target as the table and everything on it shook. 

Octavia couldn’t keep quiet. “Clarke are you nuts?” She dared to question Clarke’s decisions. 

“Shut up, O!” She rebutted. “If I don’t try this we’re gonna lose him” Oh how she couldn’t lose him. The daughter of a renowned surgeon could absolutely not lose her patient. Not this time. She ignored the devilish snickers from Octavia as she honed in on her subject.

She’d carefully gotten ahold of the obstruction, no thanks to the brunette's doubts in her abilities. She was just making her hasty yet cautious retreat when she clipped the side of the body cavity with her finger nail. 

That was all it took. With a startling buzz that tingled through her entire body, the monitor flatlined. There was nothing more Clarke could do. 

“Fuck!” She cursed, tearing her eyes away from the table for the first time in what felt like hours. “You gotta be kidding me Rae!” It was so easy to blame everyone but herself. 

Raven offered nothing but a slightly apologetic smile. “You can’t save them all, Clarke. Not even you” 

The shorter brunette scoffed beside her. “Yeah, yeah! You win some you lose some. Clarke, in this case you lost some.” Octavia gave a coy smirk, ignoring the appalled look on Clarke’s face. “So what will it be Clarke? Shotgun a beer? Or a tequila shot? Rules are rules and I think I’m being ever so generous in giving you a choice right now” she batted her eyelashes at the forlorn Clarke. Clark glared back, hating losing at her own game. 

“Tequila” She muttered in defeat, slapping the make-shift operating table, earning another buzz. 

Raven slapped her on the arm in response. “Hey! Take it easy on my masterpiece!” She scolded the blonde. “We all know you’re a sore loser Griffin but I put too many hours of my mechanical expertise into this shitty game for you to bust it over a tequila shot!” Clarke mumbled incoherently in defeat at that. 

Octavia squealed and began pouring a generous shot while Raven unclipped the computer monitor from their pimped out game of _Operation_. In what had started as a joke over Clarke’s favorite childhood game had become somewhat of a tradition thanks to the power of alcohol and the tech savvy Raven Rayes. The once pitiful excuse for a board game now had a heart monitor, several complications (including random seizures), and other carefully constructed obstructions to work around. Of course Octavia insisted the game would never be complete if there wasn’t some extra risk and reward, hence the drinking aspect. 

The youngest Blake handed a brimming full shot glass to the blonde. Refusing to breathe in an attempt to avoid the stinging scent of tequila, Clarke squinted her eyes shut and downed the shot, knowing better than to bother asking for a chase from either of her two best friends. They were savages when it came to Clarke losing at her own game. Only after she swallowed the liquid that would linger in her mouth reminding her of nothing but regret and bad decisions, did she open her eyes. 

Octavia smiled at her, handing her another beer, only after the god awful burning had settled through her core. “So can we be done with this stupid game for the rest of the year now? Tell me you’re not taking it with you tomorrow. Surely you can’t have any room left in your bags for that clunky thing?” She nudged Clarke playfully. 

Raven nodded in agreement, cracking open another drink and throwing back a gulp. “Yeah seriously Clarke you’re the only one that likes that game. I mean we put up with it because we love you but the rest of the world…” She paused dramatically, throwing her head back to take another sip, “Yeah if you wanna make friends and avoid your competitive tenacity, I’d leave the game here” 

Clarke rolled her eyes, once again wallowing in defeat. “Fine, fine” She huffed. “I won’t pack it. But I already have Pictionary in my bag so don’t even try to fight me on that” 

The two brunettes collectively groaned at the news. No one ever beat Clarke at Pictionary. It was uncanny. Deciding to change the subject before her friends began searching her bags, Clarke looked at Raven. “Speaking of packing Rae, have you even started yet?” The blue eyed girl motioned to the room around her. Raven's childhood bedroom was in shambles from the moment her and Octavia walked in earlier this evening. Dishevelled was putting it lightly, and there wasn’t a bag or a suitcase in site. For a girl so intellectually advanced and impossibly brilliant as Raven was, she not only was the most disorganized person Clarke had ever met in her life, but also the world's worst procrastinator. Clarke knew Raven had a system that worked for Raven, but she could not imagine living the way she did sometimes. _Living on the edge, because I’m awesome like that,_ as Raven would put it. 

With a non-commital shrug, Raven glanced around at the disaster that was her packing attempt. “Meh” she answered. “I’ll do it tomorrow morning. Dorm rooms are teeny tiny anyways, not like I need much. Clothing, bedding, bing, bam, boom. I’m packed” 

Octavia looked around “You’re going to have this”, she gestured at the piles of clothing strewn about the room, “Packed by the time I come to pick you up tomorrow?” She questioned. “Raven Rayes I swear if you are not packed by the time I show up I am leaving you behind. You can bus your way to Polis” She warned. Clarke wouldn’t have put it past Octavia to leave her. The Blakes didn’t fool around when it came to ultimatums.

The other brunette waved her off. “Yeah yeah, I’ll be ready. Look we can’t all be like Clarke and have been packed since the beginning of summer okay?” 

She had a point. Clarke had been meticulously packing for the day in question since she’d received her acceptance letter in the mail. Upon reading the words _Congratulations, you’ve been accepted to the Polis University Biological Sciences Department_ , she had immediately begun creating a packing list for her first year away at college. It was a dream come true to follow in her mother's footsteps and pursue a career in medicine. Accepting the offer to her mom's alma mater had been one thing, but the real dream came true when she found out Octavia and Raven would be attending the school as well. 

The three girls had been glued together at the hip since freshman year of high school, and while it wasn’t necessarily a huge surprise that they’d all end up going to the only reputable college within 400 miles of their home town of Skaida, it was a welcome certainty. Polis U was best known for their science and engineering departments. With Clarke’s inclination for medicine, Ravens genius in engineering, and Octavia’s older brother Bellamy already in his third year at Polis, the girls were fortunate to get to stick together through what were going to be some of the greatest moments of their lives. Clarke truly felt as though she were one of the luckiest girls in the world to be able to carry such a wonderful support system through this time. 

….”and another thing, Rae!” Octavia had continued her berating “This slob like lifestyle is not going to fly in our dorm room! I swear, I’m not cleaning up after you if you’re gonna continue to live like a frat boy when we’re bunking together. I mean, I know we pulled straws to see which of the three of us would get to room together this year but honestly, I’m having second thoughts after seeing your room like this. Maybe we should have given you the short straw and left you to live with some stranger instead of leaving poor Clarke here to fend for herself!” 

It was true they had drawn straws to see which two of the three would room together for their first year away at college. Clarke had been the one to draw the short straw, which in truth she was not bothered in the least about. As much as she loved the two girls and wouldn’t trade either or her best friends for the world, both Raven and Octavia could be a little off putting to strangers. Clarke, having become used to the role of care-taker in their friendship had always been the much more approachable of the three. They all joked in the end that if any of them had a snow balls chance in hell of making a new friendship out of a roommate situation it would be Clarke. It had all worked out in the end, so long as Octavia and Raven wouldn’t end up killing each other in the first week. 

Clarke, ever the compassionate one, decided to spare Raven the lecture Octavia had unexpectedly started at her. 

“You know, I think I’m gonna miss this place” Clarke mused, thinking of all the great times she’d had growing up in Skaida. It was a small town, but it had been her lifetime home, and she couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere else. All of her fondest memories of family and friendship took place here. A place she was so inherently connected to that while leaving for big city lights was exciting, the small town would always have a large place in her heart. She rested fondly on the memory of her father sitting on the porch swing with her, telling her stories of his parents growing up and making a home out of Skaida. 

Octavia’s scoff pulled her from her revery. “Tell me you’re not getting soft on us the day before we leave, Clarke. You love Polis! _We_ love Polis. I know this because we’ve spent the better half of the summer there at Bellamy’s flat. Don’t go getting cold feet on us now just because the tequila is warming up your insides!”

Clarke and Raven snickered. Octavia’s snappy wit was lost on most people but the two girls had grown accustomed to her. 

“Relax, O. I’m not getting ‘cold feet’. I’m just appreciating what we’ve had here.” The blonde explained. 

Throwing her hands up, Octavia continued her rant. “Don’t go getting all romantic about the girl growing up in the small town moving away to find herself in the big city, Clarke. I know you’re artistic self tends to think everything is like the books and movies, but that’s a little cliché don’t you think?” 

“So how would you put it?” Raven cut in “we’re leaving one small shithole of a town to move to a bigger shithole where we’ll get wasted every weekend and possibly end up with a diploma in 4 years?” she asked. Octavia smirked and nodded in agreement. 

“How poetic”, Clarke mumbled, giving up on trying to explain the astuteness of it all. 

Raven wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at Clarke. “Oh please! We know for a fact you’re excited to be spending more time with a certain someone in Polis this fall. I know you said you’re not official yet but we all know summer flings lead to fall things” Raven attempted poorly to rhyme. 

Clarke played coy, not wanting to talk about her latest hook-up. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Raven” 

The brunette rolled her eyes. “Please, you know you can’t hide anything from us. We saw you making-out with Finn at Bellamy’s last month. And I _know_ I’ve seen his name pop up on your phone a few times” 

Clarke shook her head. “It’s nothing serious, Rae. We just met this summer, he’s… nice” Clarke landed on the word, realizing it the only thing she really felt about Finn at the moment. They’d met at a party Bellamy had a couple months ago and Finn took an instant interest in Clarke. Clarke liked him, thought he was fun even, but she wasn’t sure it would amount to anything serious. She really hadn’t put much thought into it. They’d only kissed once, and had been texting on and off throughout the summer. 

Octavia snorted. “Bell doesn’t like him. I guess he’s a friend of Murphy’s that tends to spend a little too much time sleeping on their couch. Bell says Finn gives him the ‘douchebag’ vibe” Bellamy’s roommate Murphy was a bit of an ass himself, but they’d been friends for years. Everyone had learned to tolerate him and accept him for who he was. 

It was Ravens turn to snort. “Bellamy doesn’t like anyone that looks Clarke’s way” Raven threw her hands up. “You’d think Clarke was his younger sister too the way he cock-blocks her” 

Octavia and Clarke laughed at that. It was true. Bellamy was the most fiercely loyal of her friends. Many people assumed he and Clarke would end up together one day but neither one of the two could ever see each other that way. They were similar in too many ways and complete opposites in all the rest. He truly was the older brother she’d never had. 

“Remember that time that girl… what was her name again? Nancy? Nelly?” Octavia questioned. 

“Niylah” Clarke corrected. 

“Yes! Niylah! Remember when she was all over you, asking for your number and telling you she wanted to take you out on a proper date… ‘treat you right’ or whatever. You were _soooo_ swooning over her, hanging off every word she said, and then Bell caught her making out with some guy later that same night?” 

“Yes lets bring up the time I got played” she sighed, feeling a slight pang in her chest at the memory of being embarrassed in front of all her friends. 

Raven jumped in “Please! That’s the first and only time that’s gonna happen. That girl was an idiot Clarke, you’re like, the whole package. Anyways, Bellamy was ready to go to war for you that night. I mean, we all were but Bellamy was the first to go over there and kick her out of the house… and it wasn’t even his house!” The three girls burst into a fit of laughter at the memory. 

The trio continued to reminisce until the early hours of the morning. Clarke bid her goodbyes not long after Octavia passed out on a pile of Ravens clothes. She walked the couple of blocks back to her house, letting herself in the front door and quietly making her way up to her room so as not to wake her mother. She was exhausted which thankfully took away the nerves that had been settling in her stomach all week about leaving home for Polis. She settled in her childhood bed for what would be the last time for a while. Tomorrow was going to be full of new adventures, and Clarke had no idea what the future would have in store for her, but she was hopeful that it would be the dream she’d been waiting on.


	2. Goodbyes and Hellos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke leaves for Polis and meets her mysterious new roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone,
> 
> Thank you so much for the response on the first chapter! I am much more confident in this chapter as I get through the set up of this story. There’s some Clarke and Lexa interaction in the bottom half of this chapter so let me know your thoughts.

Clarke reached her arm out the window of her mom's black RAV4, her blue eyes squinting as they adjusted to the bright light. The weather was absolutely beautiful today with the sun peeking out between faint wisps of clouds. She’d wished she could have been sitting in the grass sketching in the late August sun instead of being cooped up in a car for hours. Late summer was her favorite time of year, when the warmth was still lingering but the hint of autumn was beginning to set in. She’d always appreciated times of flux, the balancing transition between seasons, between times in her life. 

Her mom had been driving for over four hours, the car packed with bags and suitcases as they made their way towards the east coast. She was growing more and more excitable, fidgeting and fussing in the passenger seat when her destination finally came into view. 

As the car peaked a slight hill, she read the sign, “ _ Welcome to Polis, City of Light _ ” scripted on a large granite stone, accented by flower beds and spot lights pushed into the ground. Clarke chucked at the cheesy slogan. 

Her mother, Abigail Griffin, glanced at her across the center console, pulling Clarkes attention back into the car, before fixing her eyes back on the road. 

“Clarke, you’re bouncing the entire car right now, are you going to be alright?” Her mother asked. She seemed both concerned and humored by Clarkes antics the entire drive. 

“I’m good mom. I’m good” she responded, nodding and attempting to settle her restless legs. 

Her mother offered a wide smile. “You’re nervous” it was neither a question nor a statement. Merely an observation, not unlike the tone she’d hear her mother use when she was talking about a patient from work. Clarke had certainly inherited her suredness from her mother. 

Clarke could sense a touch of sadness in her voice the entire drive, more so as they’d gotten further from home and closer to Polis. Clarke was her only child, and the house would now be empty except for Abby herself after today. 

Clarke smiled and gave a nod. “Nervous I’m going to miss you. But mostly excited.” 

Her mother smiled broadly at that. “Honey, I’m going to miss you too. But you’re going to have a great experience here” She encouraged. “I’ll always be here for you, even if we’re hours apart” 

Clarke tried not to let her emotions show. Clarke and Abby’s relationship had been far from perfect, but lately, with the shadow of Clarke leaving at the end of the summer growing larger and larger, they had put their differences aside and had gotten quite close. 

Clarke reached across the console and gave her mother a reassuring squeeze. She felt a sense of relief as they drove into the city. While she meant what she said yesterday about always having a soft spot for Skaida, it wasn’t until she’d pulled away earlier this morning that she’d felt like her future was in sight. For the first time in many years Clarke felt truly clear, open, and free. She had no more doubts as they ventured further into the big city. 

She turned her eyes back to the open window, pushing a strand of blonde hair back, and let out the deepest breath she had all day. She was nervous, but ready. She was prepared for what lay ahead. At least that’s what she told herself. 

Growing up in Skaida had been tough for Clarke at times, trying to find herself and her place at the same time in a town where everyone knew everyone. It had taken her a long time to be comfortable in her own skin, especially through the process of coming out as bisexual. Somehow, she had finally settled into a safe, happy existence with her family, friends, and community who all adored Clarke and praised her for being so unapologetically true to herself. 

Here she was, freely leaving that comfort zone and immersing herself into the unknown. Her eyes darted around as her mom pulled into the campus and began navigating her way through the crawling traffic to find Clarke’s dorm. She stared at the people sprawling about the campus, wondering how she would ever find her way around. She was used to finding her way around hundreds, now she felt as though she’d dissolve amongst this crowd of thousands. 

As her mother effortlessly navigated through her former school, Clarke began to pull out her phone to text her two best friends. As she started her text to Octavia she decided against it. She was sure Octavia was busy driving or picking up her suitcases from Bellamy’s. She didn’t want to cause her or Raven more hassle by appearing needy before she’d even moved in. 

As grateful as Clarke was to have her two closest allies at Polis U with her, she also wanted to give herself the chance to branch out, step out of her comfort zone and take her own journey of self discovery while she was here. She loved her friends but knew sometimes they depended on each other a little too much. While Clarke was normally the one to take care of everyone, she also knew that she relied on being that person for her friends more than she should. 

“Clarke…” Her mother called quietly. “Welcome to your new home” The car had turned one final corner and her mother gestured to a nondescript set of buildings that made up the dorms, better known as The Ark.  _ Home,  _ Clarke thought as she shifted in her seat, feeling the tension role through her body like a wave as she considered her new reality. 

***

After Abby had parked the car, Clarke got waited in the busy line to the front desk to get her new keys. Abby began unloading Clarke’s suitcases and bags. Upon closer inspection, Clark noticed the dorms weren’t nondescript at all. There were 10 large uniform concrete buildings that formed somewhat of a circle, separated by green spaces, each with what looked to be a long hall that connected to a large ring-like building in the middle. From a distance, Clarke imagined the collection of buildings looked like something that belonged in space rather than on a college campus. 

After what seemed like ages, Clarke finally made it to the front desk. A slender framed girl with auburn hair, brown eyes, and a sweet looking face smiled at Clarke and beckoned her over. 

“Welcome to the Ark!” She said with genuine enthusiasm. Clarke walked to the girl and offered a returning smile. She was wearing a green short sleeve polo with “RA” embellished on the crest of the shirt. On the other side, the girl had a name tag.  _ Fox,  _ Clarke thought.  _ What an interesting name _ . 

Clarke gave her name and the papers she’d been mailed with her dorm room information. After some quick typing on the computer and idle chit chat about being welcomed to the dorms, Fox gave Clarke a variety of pamphlets and informational papers. The RA had explained what each paper contained as she handed them over, but Clarke was too enveloped in the bustling crowds of co-eds and parents moving around her. She could barely hear the sound of her own voice as she answered Fox’s questions through the loud voices booming through the lobby. The last thing she was given was a map, and Clarke was very thankful Fox had highlighted the directions to her room. 

“Your room is in Go-Sci ring, but people just call it The Ring!” Fox shouted, Clarke barely making it out. “That’s the building in the middle. Room 403.” The brown eyed girl smiled. “4th floor. The main floor contains The Ark common rooms and dining halls, and a library.” That was all the information Clarke could make out. Fourth floor. Clarke was glad she’d be on the top floor, hoping she would luck out with a west facing window that would overlook the river that ran through campus. 

Clarke took the hefty stack of papers, planning to go through them after she settled in. “Looks like your dorm mate hasn’t checked in yet” Fox noted. Clarke wasn’t sure if that was good news or bad news. 

Thanking the RA for her help, Clarke gathered her papers, student ID, and dorm keys, making her way back through the crowded parking lot to find her mom. Abby had a set of bags in hand,so Clarke pointed in the direction of her room, and began lugging her belongings up four flights of stairs. 

As she unlocked the door and walked into the room, the first thing she noticed was the plain symmetrical space. Plain white walls, complemented by two identical wooden closets on opposite walls closest to the door. The space then opened up to a pair of desks on opposite sites, one overlooking the single window in the room. Two bare twin mattresses were placed on opposite walls, both with large wooden bed frames with wooden storage drawers underneath. It was as plain as Clarke had expected, and she thought it would be impossible to make this space feel homey and welcoming. 

With slight hesitation, Clarke decided to choose the bed closest to the window. She’d hoped her roommate wouldn’t mind too much. While she considered waiting for her roommate to arrive and have a diplomatic discussion over which side of their shared room each of them would prefer, Clarke knew it could be hours before the mystery girl arrived. She pushed her desk over to the window, setting a few pictures across the window frame, including her favorite picture with her father. The window overlooked the meandering river that crossed campus on the west side, and she knew the sunsets across the horizon framed by the campus would give her some inspiration for sketching, and hopefully the serenity of it all would give her peace of mind while studying. 

Over several trips, Clarke and her mother took turns setting up her side of the room and taking trips to the SUV. By the time she had made her third trip up the stairs, panting and nearly dripping with sweat, she’d cursed her luck for landing a room on the fourth floor. 

The two Griffin’s spent the better part of an hour setting up Clarke’s side of the room to her liking. The blonde was careful to leave a fair share of space for her roommate-to-be, not wanting to rub her the wrong way by hogging what small space they had. Her mother stayed and helped, making Clarkes bed and putting clothing in drawers while letting Clarke set up her desk to her liking. She knew the whole idea of her being so far away from home made her mom at least a little uneasy, so she imagined allowing her mom to help instead of kicking her out right away was therapeutic.

Clarke stood from the perfectly set up desk and turned to Abby. “You probably need to get back on the road soon don’t you?” She asked both hopefully and sadly. “You have an early shift tomorrow.” She reminded her mom. 

Abby moved closer to her daughter, glancing at the photo of herself, Clarke, and Jake that was sitting at the center of Clarke's new desk. Clarke felt a pang of emotions pushing through her stomach up to her throat. That look was the unspoken feeling the two had shared all day.  _ I wish he was here for this moment _ . Refusing to let any tears fall, Clarke pulled her mother into a quick embrace, knowing that was needed more than any words either of them could offer to each other. 

Abby was the first to pull away, brushing a piece of Clarkes blonde waves away from her face. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around? Wait for your new roommate so you’re not alone?” 

“I’m fine,” Clarke insisted. “Besides, Octavia and Raven will be here soon, I’m sure they’re going to need a buffer while setting up their new room to avoid an all out brawl.” 

The older woman laughed, knowing full well Clarke was right. Clarke walked her mother out, locking the door behind her and escorting her back to their parking spot. Offering one last embrace and a kiss on the cheek, they said their goodbyes, Clarke promising to keep in touch daily. As Abby sat in the driver's seat, starting the car, she rolled down the window, calling Clarke to come closer before she pulled away. 

Clarke could see the torn emotion in her eyes and knew what was coming. “He would be so proud of you, Clarke. These were the moments he lived for” the brunettes eyes were brimming. 

Clarke nodded, “I know mom” her voice cracked a little at the end. She gave her mom a final wave, refusing to dissolve into tears in the Ark residence parking lot. As her mom pulled away, she sent a quick text to Raven and Octavia, letting them know her room number and to text when they arrived. 

*** 

Not long after, her friends arrived on campus. Clarke busied herself helping them organize their room. She was beyond thankful that they were on the first floor close to the parking lot. They’d ended up in the Mecha building, which wasn’t too far from the Go-Science ring where Clarke’s room was. After a few hours of helping her friends organize their room, Clarke was exhausted and sick of the bickering that had already ensued between her two fiery friends. 

The girls barely acknowledged her goodbye as they bickered over closet space. When she arrived back at her room, the door was ajar. Taking a breath, Clarke paused before stepping in to meet her new roommate. She knew in all likelihood it would turn out okay, but the sudden reminder that this would be her first time living with someone made her nervous. It made her more nervous still that as an only child, she was used to her privacy, and now she'd be living with a stranger, sharing minuscule space with someone she’d never met in her life. 

As she pushed the door open, she saw her new roommate from the back, pulling her sheets over her bed. Even leaning over the bed Clarke could tell she was tall and athletic, her muscles visibly flexed even through her t-shirt as she reached across the bed to pull the sheet taught. She had long dark brown hair cascading down her neck in a tight braid, and the noise of the door stirred her, causing her to stand up and turn around. Clarke took a quick moment to take the girl in as she stood. She was met with captivating eyes, a shade of green that Clarke was sure she’d never seen before in her life, which was surprising to the amateur artist. She had tan skin with a straight nose and soft, full lips. Her hair was pulled back tight to her head, revealing her sharp jawline. She was wearing black jeans and a white v-neck t-shirt with the sleeves cuffed up a roll or two. The style suited her tall athletic frame. She was, without a doubt, attractive, in the painfully obvious way, but also in an intriguing way that Clarke couldn’t quite put her finger on. 

Forcing herself to disregard that thought, the blonde took another step into their room, meeting the brunettes inquisitive stare. “Hi, I’m Clarke” she said pleasantly, giving a smile and offering a shy wave at the girl before her. 

The other girl's eyes shifted uncomfortably, as if she was searching for somewhere to look other than at Clarke. She looked almost confused, like she had expected someone else to walk through the room. Clarke tried to ignore the rush of anxiety as she wondered if there was something off about herself. 

The girl recovered quickly however, smiling easily. “Ah, you must be my roommate” As if it was a question to be answered. The soft voice surprised Clarke. It was almost melodic when Clarke had for some reason expected something low and whisky-toned based on the girl's appearance.  _ There you go, making assumptions already,  _ Clarke berated herself internally. “Lexa” the girl continued. 

Clarke nodded. “It’s nice to meet you” 

The girl smirked, as if there was some type of humor to be found in the formalities of introductions. “Yeah, you too” 

They both stood there, an awkward silence settling in the small room between them. She had expected it to be a little uncomfortable, but she realized she didn’t have a clue what to say, and the girl wasn’t offering up much to the conversation either. She had turned and continued making her bed, as if Clarke wasn’t even there. 

Moving to her side of the room, Clarke glanced out the window, trying to decide if she should let the girl be, or try to ease the tension. Going with the latter, Clarke turned and looked over her busied roommate. “I hope you don’t mind that I chose a side of the room without you,” Clarke said, drawing the girl's gaze to meet hers. 

Lexa raised an eyebrow at her, and Clarke flushed red, realizing that was definitely a weird thing to say. “No problem” She responded. “Probably best I’m closest to the door anyways. Early morning practices” 

“You’re on the soccer team?” Clarke asked, not at all surprised with the girls athletic appearance. She eyed the soccer ball sitting by the door and put two and two together.

Lexa nodded in response. “Yeah, I am” Clarke instantly felt a little better when the girl offered up the first bit of information about herself. 

“Are you from around here?” She tried to sound casual while pressing the girl for more information. 

“No, I’m from Ton-DC” Lexa answered. 

Clarke’s eyes widened. “Oh wow, you’re a long way from home” 

“I guess I just liked Polis U” Lexa responded as if that explained why she was going to school halfway across the country from her home city. Clarke wondered if she’d gotten a scholarship to play soccer but then realized that was really none of her business. 

“Did you just get here? Is your family helping you move in?” She asked, looking out the window at the families still arriving. 

“No…” Lexa answered and it looked as if that was all she was going to say. Suddenly she continued, as if she realized she was being aloof “I have a friend that lives in Polis. Been living with her for about a week” 

“Oh” Clarke thought about the reaction her mother would have had if she’d chosen a school as far away from home as Lexa had, and then to have gone early and stayed with a friend without her mother even seeing where she’d be living. To say that would have ended in an argument would have been an understatement. Four hours away had made her mother uneasy enough it seemed. 

The room fell silent once again. It dawned on Clarke that Lexa wasn’t really asking any questions in return. It wasn’t that she was being rude necessarily, it just seemed to Clarke that she was quite nonchalant towards the situation. As though she couldn’t be bothered towards the blonde. Lexa had barely given her a second glance. Was Clarke really that uninteresting. Even if she was, how would Lexa know that? She hadn’t even asked her anything. 

A loud voice startled Clarke from her thoughts. “Hey Lex!” The raspy voice called from the doorway, as the heavy door flung oven hitting the wall. Clarke jumped, clearly not expecting anyone else to come walking through the door. 

Two figures stood. One was a tall dark nearly bald man with a menacing looking stature. His face was stoic, not unlike Lexa’s. Beside him was a girl slightly shorter than Lexa with long dirty blonde hair and a sharp jawline. Something about her looked very intimidating and Clarke forced herself not to shudder at being spooked by the two. 

Green eyes caught her gaze as she looked away from the pair. “It’s okay” her voice soothed. Clarke wasn’t normally this jumpy, and it embarrassed her that Lexa had apparently noticed. “They’re my friends, Clarke” her voice clicked on the  _ k _ , and the blonde couldn’t help but find the way she said her name oddly satisfying. 

“Wait outside, I’ll be right out” Lexa instructed. She looked at Clarke quickly once again, “Anya, Lincoln” she spoke as they turned away, drawing their eyes back to her. “This is Clarke, my roommate” she gestured politely to her. 

Clarke waved shyly at them, running her other hand through her blonde waves. They both nodded towards her, the man, Lincoln giving a quick “Hello”, before exiting the small room. Similar to Lexa, his soft voice did not match his intimidatingly muscular stature. His face was soft and sweet, his eyes expressing nothing but kindness.

The blonde girl with the intense stare lingered a little longer. C’mon Lexa, you can unpack your stuff later let's go” she barked. Clarke busied herself, trying not to impede on whatever her roommates friend wanted. 

“Yeesh Anya! I’m coming, can you give a girl a minute. I literally  _ just  _ got here.” She exasperated. There was something comical about the interaction between the two. It almost reminded Clarke of herself and Raven's relationship. Lexa grabbed her keys off her bed and rushed for the door. “Be back in a bit” she said, closing the door behind her on her way out, not giving Clarke a chance to respond. 

_ Well that was… weird.  _ Clarke thought that was the only way to sum up her first interaction with her roommate. It was a little perplexing. Lexa didn’t seem shy or socially awkward based on the easy smiles, calm demeanour, and the way she interacted with her friends. She also didn't come across as a total ass. So why did it seem that she could care less about the freshman she’d be living with for her first year? 

Clarke shook it off, realizing she was probably reading into things too much. She glanced around the room, enjoying the moment of peace. Lexa hadn’t really begun unpacking yet other than making her bed so Clarke couldn’t really couldn’t gather much insight on her by looking at her belongings. She looked around her side of the room, realizing she presented herself as an open book. Sketches taped to the walls, pre-med textbooks stacked on the desk, and photos of the people who mattered to her most set on the window sills. 

Clarke smiled to herself. This was who she was. Unapologetically herself in every way, shape and form. With her confidence returned to her, she decided she’d press her roommate more when she got back. For now she enjoyed the quiet room filled with the chance for new beginnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. Next chapter will be mostly dialogue between Clarke and Lexa. The first few chapters are going to be Clarke’s perspective, but I will be writing Lexa’s point of view eventually as well. 
> 
> As always let me know your thoughts, what you like and dislike, things I can improve on, or maybe a new recipe I can try? I’m running out of things to cook/bake here.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa’s perspective after meeting her beautiful blonde roommate

With a loud thud of the industrial door closing behind her, Lexa refused to let her thoughts settle on the blonde she’d left in the room behind her. The girl had left her feeling more unsettled than when her roommate was nothing short of a mystery. She’d dreaded that moment more than anything, and what made it worse was that her roommate seemed… no. She wouldn’t let herself think about her anymore. Shoving her feelings away, Lexa carried on down the corridor to meet Lincoln and Anya at her car. 

Refusing to let her thoughts drift back to her new room, she instead focused on the bustling excitement around her as she found her way to the stairwell. 

Home sweet home, she thought bitterly to herself. She felt dismay in every sense of her being at this new place. 

The smell. The combination of several cheap colognes wafting through the air, courtesy of one two many teenage boys overdoing it (Eau-de-Frat), fresh paint, and the thick scent of industrial carpet that had no doubt absorbed decades of co-ed activities. 

The touch. Lexa could feel the tacky fresh paint on the hand rail beneath her fingertips as she made her way down the stairs, and the buzz of every student that passed her by carrying loads of belongings.

The look. All of the fresh excited faces around her was almost comical with the backdrop of a dull poorly lit stairwell.

The sound. It was a mix of excited chatter, stern lecturing, and emotional goodbyes from parents. 

And of course the taste. She swallowed that bitterness down her throat. 

Lexa hadn’t planned on any of this. If she’d had it her way, she’d be living at Anya’s in the spare room where she would have the luxury of privacy and the comfort of an old friend. It hadn’t worked out that way. Part of her arrangement with her father was that she had to begrudgingly agree to live on campus the first year. With the demand soccer and school would have on her time he’d insisted that she stay on campus where she would have unlimited and uninterrupted access to resources. 

She’d conceded this battle with her father, having won the real war of being allowed to move to Polis in the first place. While she knew he was right, that staying on campus would make time management much easier, she still didn’t have to pretend to be thrilled about it.

She continued down the back stairs, pausing as freshmen and parents made their way up with boxes and bags. She rolled her eyes as she overheard conversations between groups of friends about parties, how to sneak booze if you were underage on campus, and the dreaded stern warnings and tearful goodbyes as families parted ways from their teenagers for likely the first time. As she snuck by a mother shaking in a sob at the first floor stairwell she had to duck to avoid getting her head taken off by a boy throwing a wet towel at a squealing girl. 

She bit her lip irritably as the boy shouted a half assed sorry her way while continuing to chase his crush as of probably 5 minutes ago. This was not Lexa Wood’s scene. Fratty flirting and getting tipsy with the coeds in her dorm was not her thing. It was dreadful knowing that she would never fit into this world she was now immersed in for the next year. She’d come in with a plan; keep to herself in the dorms, make friends in class and on the team, and get through the year without incident. 

She pushed her way smoothly through the crowded foyer and out the back door, making her way to where Anya and Lincoln were waiting against the brick wall outside. 

“Who pissed in your cheerios?” Anya asked in greeting as her two friends approached and fell into step along side her. 

Lexa rolled her eyes. “Oh the dreamiest boy you ever did see” Lexa teased, earning a snort from Anya. Anya understood her frustrations better than anyone, and even she’d told Lexa to lighten up a little, that this year wouldn’t be so bad if she would just keep an open mind. Lexa knew she was being harsh. That boy in particular was just having fun, and a wet towel wasn’t nearly enough to be at Lexa’s demise but it had been a long day, and she was not feeling that first day high that everyone else was running off of. She was in tune with the atmosphere around her, she just wasn’t riding the same wave. 

“Boys will be boys” Anya joked. “Isn’t that what they say” she stuck her tongue out for sarcastic effect. 

“Boys need to grow up” She grumbled, glaring at her friend. She wasn’t in the mood for jokes.

Anya wrapped her arm around Lexa’s wrist as they approached her SUV. “That’s enough sulking for one day” she scolded. 

Lexa shrugged. “Easy for you to say, you don’t have to share 12 square feet of space with someone for an entire year and call it home”. 

“Oh Lexa, get over it. Everyone here has to go through the same thing. You will survive. You might even make a friend or two along the way” She teased. “But not with that attitude” 

Lexa ripped her hand from her friends grasp, fetching her keys to unlock her SUV for the three of them. Lincoln was waiting patiently leaning against the passenger door, knowing better to get involved in the two bickering girls. “Careful Anya. I’m your only ride home right now. Unless you’d like to to take the city bus with all these freshmen you suddenly love so much. Maybe you’ll even make a friend or two along the way” 

“Careful Lincoln” Anya warned. “She’s grouchier now than she was when we first got here” 

Lincoln smiled easily at Lexa. He offered balance in their trio friendship. When things teetered one way or the other, he was always the first to find a way to ground them in the middle once again. 

“I know it’s not your dream living situation Lexa, but it’s only a year” His soft voice soothed. “I thought my first year living in the dorms would be awful too, but I made some really great friends. It’s not all teenage hormones and frat parties, and last minute cramming. There’s some really great people, you just have to give them a chance”. Lexa pondered that for a moment, not having the energy to come back with a sarcastic remark to her friend. 

Lincoln and Anya had started college together at Polis last year, while Lexa had deferred a year and taken the time to intern with her fathers company and refine her soccer skills with an amateur team. She’d had no troubles coming out for tryouts and impressing the coaches enough to make the team despite being a year behind. Soccer wasn’t going to be a career path for her, she just enjoyed the sport and competition of being in a league. 

She’d missed Lincoln and Anya greatly over the last year. Despite staying in touch as much as possible she was beyond happy to finally be with them face to face once again and pick up where things had left off in their friendship. Nothing had changed between them. 

Lexa sighed, letting the tension she’d been holding onto since they’d got here this afternoon roll off her shoulders now that she was all moved in and outside of the dorm she would now call home. “You guys are right, I’ll try to keep an open mind” 

“Your roommate seems nice at least” Lincoln offered as the three of them climbed into her SUV. 

Lexa stiffened at the mention of her roommate. Lincoln had broken the wall and the thoughts began to flood in. Clarke. Of course the girl had intrigued her. She’d taken in her side of the room before she even met the girl. The photos, the sketches, the way her items were meticulously placed about the room to make her side soft and inviting. Lexa was good at reading people, she’d learned over the years of witnessing her father schmoozing people at business events how to charm people based of their own perceptions of themselves. The prospect of her new roommate had unnerved her a little before she’d even talked into the room. Whether Lexa liked it or not, Clarke would be privy to many things Lexa preferred to do in private. Thinks like sleeping, studying, changing, having a date over. Clarke would be there for all of those moments. 

It wasn’t that Lexa was so private she wouldn’t want anyone to see those moments. It was the fact that she would never have a choice in the matter. She didn’t choose Clarke, she didn’t even know if she would have chosen her for a roommate if she’d had the choice. That was the root of Lexa’s problem. She just didn’t know. 

Lexa schooled her expression, still refusing to let her mind drift to Clarke. She shrugged and offered an easy smirk in return “Yeah she seems alright. Guess only time will tell” 

Anya sneered. “Please! You’re really not going to say it?” She asked incredulously. Lexa bristled, knowing exactly the line Anya was taking this conversation on. “That girl is a total smoke show. I mean I’m more of a brunette girl myself but anyone with eyes is going to do a double take at that girl. I mean did you see the-“

“Enough” Lexa barked, glaring at her friend menacingly. While Anya was respectful to women, she never had a problem being brash about appreciating them.“It’s already bad enough I have to share a room with this girl, can you not creep her?” 

Anya smiled, getting the reaction she’d hoped for. “You’re really not going to admit you think your roommate is hot?” 

Lexa stuttered a moment, not sure how to answer. “No, I did not check out my new roommate, it’s already weird enough Anya please don’t make this any more uncomfortable than it already is” 

“So you don’t think she’s pretty?” She challenged. 

“I didn’t say that” Lexa defended quickly. “I said my roommate is off limits” 

“Yourself included?” Anya teased. 

“Funny” 

“I could be into blondes for a while” Anya continued, knowing it was only going to get on Lexa’s last nerve. 

“I said off limits” Lexa spoke with finality. “She’s probably not even into girls and I am not dealing with your ‘I can turn any girl’ conquest with my roommate. Living with her is going to be tough enough as it is I don’t need you scaring the poor girl off and weirding her out with your advances”. 

Anya laughed. “Fine… fine. No shameless flirting with the blonde bombshell. For now. But Lexa, if it’s not me crushing on her, it’s certainly going to be someone else before too long.” 

Lincoln finally piped up. “Just a warning, a sock on the door isn’t just a saying, I learned that the hard way last year” 

“I’m ready for the subject to change anytime now” Lexa remarked. 

She noticed Lincoln and Anya share a teasing look as they began to talk about what they were going to get for dinner, finally giving Lexa some reprieve. She joined in on the food conversation, glad that they were finally talking about something that wasn’t at her expense. 

Yet as she began to pull away from the campus parking lot, her eyes drifted up to the fourth floor windows. And as she looked across the expanse of what would be her new temporary home, she swore all she could see were a pair of piercing blue eyes staring back at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Definitely not my proudest writing but I’m trying to grind through some set up chapters to get into the fun of this story. Thanks for reading and I’ll see each and every one of you at the next chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much everyone for the nice comments on the last chapter. It’s nice to see this fandom still thriving! A little bit more Clexa interaction in this one so let me know what you think!

“Oh my god, it’s amazing you guys!” Octavia gushed as Clarke and Octavia gathered around her at the table in the dining hall, eating a late lunch after a night out. “There is so much to do here…Raven do you even remember getting into our room last night?”

Raven lifted her head from the table, meekly shaking her head before putting it back down. However good she was feeling last night was coming back to bite her today. A hung over Raven was not someone to be provoked.

Octavia continued. “Clarke you should have been there. It was so funny we had to sneak passed the RA and smooth sailing Raven here totally got busted. I thought we were screwed! But here’s Raven, staggering along and the moment we get caught she snapped right back into it! Talked her way right out of an infraction.”

“Power of persuasion is strong in this one” Raven muttered, still not looking up.

“Especially when drunk” Octavia quipped. “I mean we won’t mention that I had to get you undressed the moment we got in the room, I wasn’t even mad about it this time...you should have seen…” Octavia continued on talking about their first night out at the dorm parties.

Clarke tried to listen, but she couldn’t quite focus on reliving their night. She’d had fun, sure, but she couldn’t help the bitter part of her that was a little jealous that Raven and Octavia got on so easy as roommates.

It had been three days since the three girls had moved it. Three days of getting accustomed to life on campus, three days of shuffling from orientations, social events, and evening parties. Three days she’d seen her new roommate. The girl was elusive, and hadn’t been back to their shared dorm room since their brief meeting the other day. Clarke couldn’t help but feel that Lexa must be avoiding the dorm on purpose. She did say she had a friend that lived in the city, but Clarke has assumed she’d still be spending some amount of time in the room. There was no trace that she’d even been there, the same unpacked bags, no evidence of life. Classes were starting officially tomorrow, and Clarke wondered if she’d see her roommate at all this school year or if their first meeting would be the only one.

Clarke knew she should be thankful for a ghostly roommate, but something about it felt weird. She was constantly on edge, never knowing if Lexa would just show up at any second. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t hopeful every time she heard footsteps down the hall the last few days that it would be her roommate finally returning. A hand waving in front of her face pulled her from her thoughts.

“Earth to Clarke! Don’t tell me you’re as hungover as this one” Octavia pointed to Raven. She shook her head.

“Just thinking about classes tomorrow. And wondering if meeting my roommate was just a figment of my imagination” Raven perked her head up. “Still no sign of her?” Clarke shook her head. “I don’t even think she’s been back to the room since”

Octavia looked at her seriously. “Should you notify security?”

“I thought about it” she replied. “But she had friends with her the day she moved in. I think one of them lives close by. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Maybe she was just busy but I can’t help but feel like somethings off. Could I have really made that bad of a first impression?”

Raven rolled her eyes. “C’mon Clarke, don't be ridiculous. You’re right. She’s probably busy. Just because she’s not as curious about you as you are of her doesn’t mean you did something”

Clarke huffed. She supposed Raven might be right, but something still felt off. “Thanks Rae”, her tone thick with sarcasm. “Anyways I’m going to call it a day. I have 8am lecture tomorrow”

“Same. Guess it all really begins tomorrow” Octavia agreed. Clarke said her goodbyes to her two best friends. She couldn’t fight off the bitterness still on her tongue at the thought that they’d be walking back to their room together, while Clarke would be alone. She could go with them, but Raven had struck a bit of a nerve and she knew some alone time with her thoughts would do her good.

As much as Clarke loved her independence, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be completely alone her first night before classes. She made her way back to her dorm, trying desperately not to hope that she’d be met with those mysterious green eyes from a few days ago. As she fumbled with the lock, she pushed the door open and much to her surprise she saw the tall brunette had finally returned.

Clarke hung awkwardly in the doorway, not sure how to make an entrance. The moment she had been secretly hoping for had now suddenly made her very unsure of herself. She watched Lexa for a moment, taking her in as she unpacked a few bags she’d left on her bed from move in day.

Lexa turned and gave her a small smile, waving in hello.

Clarke considered joking that she was glad she was alive, but decided against it. She didn’t know this girl, she didn’t even know where she’d been the last few days. Maybe something had happened and she didn’t want to get caught making a bad second impression.

Clarke gave a shy wave. “Hello” she said timidly. She made her way across the room to her side, careful to give Lexa her space.

Lexa simply nodded and continued unpacking in silence. Clarke busied herself at her desk, finding things to organize so the it didn’t seem like she was just sitting there. Every once in a while, she snuck a glance to Lexa’s side of the room. She examined Lexa, trying to figure out what it was about her that was so oddly fascinating. There was this energy about her that made her feel utterly on edge, even now that she was here in the flesh. Clarke decided the allure must have been due to how little Lexa said to her, because there was no other reason for her to be nervous. Some time had passed, and Clarke decided she needed to say something. Something to reach out and connect with Lexa. The awkward silence was only making her more nervous. Clarke was outgoing, she couldn’t figure out why it was so hard to think of something to say.

“So….” Clarke finally broke the silence, looking over at the tanned girl. “How long have you been playing soccer?” There. That was an easy topic. She eyed the soccer ball sitting at the edge of Lexa’s desk. It took a moment for Lexa to turn from her dresser, as if she hadn’t heard Clarke or was deciding if she wanted to respond.

Lexa looked down at Clarke who was still sitting in her chair. Those eyes. “Since I was little I guess” Of course, Clarke had thought. Such an obvious answer to an obvious question. Clarke was left not knowing what to say to that when Lexa finally gave her more of an answer.

“I think I started playing competitively when I was 10”

“Wow” Clarke responded. “You must love it. I have a friend who got a scholarship for Lacrosse down in Florida, I was there when she got scouted.” Clarke warmed at the memory of her friend Monroe making her dream come true. She caught Lexa’s eyes again, and swore she could make out the faintest smile in the stoic girls features. “It seemed like such a big deal then. It is such a big deal. Crazy huh? Considering where you are now?”

”Lexa shrugged at that. “I suppose. I mean, getting to play soccer in college will definitely keep me busy”

Clarke was surprised at how passive Lexa was about it. She didn’t seem necessarily humble, but it was almost as if it were no big deal that she’d be playing one of the highest level of competitive sport.

“I guess so” Clarke admitted. Another long moment passed and Lexa turned to keep unpacking. Clarke wasn’t ready to give up on the conversation just yet. “So you have your car here?” Clarke asked.

Lexa turned and tilted her head, as if wondering how Clarke would know that. Clarke flushed, realizing that wasn’t something that came up in their short conversation a few days ago. Clarke had only known that because she’d seen Lexa pulling out of the parking lot as she watched from the fourth floor window.

“What?” Lexa asked in confusion.

“Well you weren’t here with your parents, I assumed you maybe drove yourself?” It was believable enough.

“Oh. Yeah” Lexa nodded. “Yeah I brought my car. Easier than trying to fly out here with all of my stuff”

“That’s cool. I don’t have a car back home. Even if I did my mom would have never let me bring it.”

Lexa smirked. “Sucks” she commented, frowning in understanding. Another long moment passed as the brunette finished unpacking and slid her empty duffel bags under her bed, leaving one out beside her soccer ball. Clarke continued watching her out of the corner of her eye as Lexa turned to look out the window. She finally turned back to Clarke, flashing a hopeful smile that Clarke found to be the first real emotion from the girl. Clarke was floored at how it lit her up. She knew it made no sense, but something about it got to her. That smile, it made her want to see more.

“You’re right,” Lexa lamented. “It is weird. Being here. It’s kind of like...what now?” It was the most Lexa had given her from the time they had met. Clarke made a mental note at how pathetic it was that it excited her this much. She smiled sympathetically. Even though it was only a few words, it was almost as though they had an understanding, something in common. Even just for a moment something passed between them. They stared a moment too long, and Clarke began to flush again. Lexa inadvertently grinned before looking away again. Clarke was able to get a better look at her now that they’d broken the silence between them. She wore a navy blue v-neck and black skinny jeans, topped off with a pair of crisp white chucks. She had a clean, smile, and attractive style Clarke decided. Her hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, exposing that sharp jawline that was both beautiful and intimidating at the same time.

“You don’t seem nervous,” Clarke commented. Lexa turned back, flashing that sinful grin.

“Nervous about what?”

“Any of this,” Clarke shrugged. “Soccer, a new place, school….me” Clarke felt a little vulnerable admitting the last one. It was the truth, Lexa didn’t seem to be the least bit bothered or intrigued by Clarke. She was almost indifferent to the blonde and it perplexed Clarke to no end.

“And why would I be nervous of you?” Lexa asked, focusing on the last point.

“Well we share a room for starters. You know nothing about me, I could be a serial killer you know?” Clarke joked. She flashed Lexa a cheeky smile and a wink.

Lexa stared at her, completely un-phased. “Are you?” She asked seriously. The sultry tone in her voice made Clarke gulp.

“No.”

“Good.” Lexa smirked and Clarke swore she saw her eyes wondering up and down her body. It happened so quick Clarke was almost sure she imagined it. “I mean the odds of them rooming two serial killers would be astronomical, but I suppose it’s possible. I would know, I’m majoring in stats” Lexa quipped.

Clarke blanched at how quick the girl was with a joke. All this time Clarke had wondered if the girl was just outwardly shy. But the more she talked the less that seemed likely.

“I’m kidding” Lexa continued, picking up on Clarke’s perplexed look.

Clarke shook it off. “Well with the way you disappeared for three days can you blame a girl for wondering”

Lexa’s smile faded. “You were wondering about me?” She looked slightly annoyed at the sentiment but also a little surprised.

Clarke rolled her eyes. “Well I am going to be living with you for the better part of a year, and I’ve barely seen you. Can you really blame me?” Clarke defended, suddenly feeling like she was being interrogated. “You’re a little bit elusive you know?”

Lexa shrugged at that. “I had some things to take care of”

“That’s vague, but I’ll accept that.” Clarke replied. Not wanting to put Lexa on the defensive, Clarke decided to let it go. “Just don’t tell me where you hid the bodies. I don’t want to be an accessory to your crimes” She joked. Lexa smiled again, dizzying Clarke as she caught her gaze.

“Don’t worry, I can talk myself out of anything” she teased.

“I bet you can be quite charming when you want to be,” Clarke agreed. She flushed crimson as she realized what she’d said. Was she flirting with her roommate? She should know better. She hoped Lexa hadn’t noticed her blunder. She wanted to be comfortable with the girl, but not too comfortable. Something about Lexa made it easy to let those words fall out. She was definitely charming. Lexa winked.

“Perhaps.. when I want to be.” It was almost as if Lexa was flirting back. No, Clarke decided. It was normal for roommates to joke and tease each other. It was just an easy flow of conversation. What had thrown Clarke off was that she hadn’t expected it considering the conversation had started with Clarke prying information out of her. Lexa was now all easy smiles and lingering gazes. It threw Clarke for a loop. Clarke turned back to her desk, moving a few of her pictures around before she stared too long again.

Lexa had wandered over to the blondes side, as if deciding that the invisible barrier between them had been broken down. She stopped at the blondes dresser, gazing at a framed picture of Clarke and Raven. In the photo Clarke had her arms wrapped around Raven, and Raven was planting a kiss on Clarke’s cheek. It was taken on their last summer get away together on the beach in Florida. Clarke smiled nervously as Lexa took a glimpse into her life. She tried to keep her cool as her roommate finally started to hint at taking an interest in her. The last few days she’d pretty much convinced herself that Lexa was nothing more than stuck up. Self absorbed even for seemingly not caring to get to know Clarke at all. She realized that had likely been wrong in her assumption. Clarke now thought she might be the stuck up one for even thinking that way. The girl was still shrouded in mystery, but the blonde couldn’t deny that fact spiked her interest even more. _There’s just something about her._

Lexa continued examining the picture, lifting it from its place on the dresser carefully. Clarke had wondered why that photo was of such interest to her. Of all the other sketches and photos on Clarke’s side of the room, Lexa had noticed that one specifically. She looked to Clarke curiously. “That your girlfriend?” Lexa asked pointing at the photo in her hands.

Clarke burst into surprised laughter at the question. “Oh my god ew, NO!” She exclaimed. “No… that’s my best friend Raven. _Just_ friend.” Clarke exaggerate. Lexa hadn’t been the first to assume her and Raven were a couple. The girls were close, and with both of them being out, people always tended to peg them as a couple. It never bothered Clarke in the least, it just made her laugh at how ridiculous the thought of dating her best friend would be.

Lexa flushed, quickly putting the photo back where it was nodding with a tight lipped smile. “My apologies” she said, schooling her face back to the stoic expression she bore back when they first met. Clarke looked at her, confused at the sudden reversion of her attitude. Why would it matter to Lexa if Raven wasn’t her girlfriend? Clarke started to speak, but Lexa had moved back over to her side before Clarke had even noticed, her back now turned to the blonde.

“Lexa I-“

“I’m going for a run” Lexa announced, cutting her off before she could even form a thought. She watched as Lexa quickly gathered her running gear, shooting Clarke a few looks in the process. Clarke gulped at the intense stare that was shot her way. Something about it struck fear inside her. She wondered what had suddenly changed in the girl. It made no sense. A moment a go they were talking and getting to know each other , and now it was like Lexa wanted nothing more than to get away from Clarke. Clarke busied herself at her desk again, looking away from that deadly glare before she got caught up in it again. Clarke didn’t make eye contact.

“Oh okay” Clarke finally responded. “Well when you’re back if you want we could-“

Clarke turned to meet Lexa’s intense stare but she was met by nothing but the shut of the door. Just like that, Lexa was gone.

_What the hell had just happened?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know! Clarke is a bit of a moron. But what’s a story without some character flaws right? 
> 
> Side note: I’m working on a multi chapter fic for Maya x Carina from Station 19. Any interest in that? As I’m planning it out right now it would likely be slight AU with mostly canon themes and characters. Any other writers out there that would be interested in doing a collab with me for this please let me know. 
> 
> As always thank you so much for reading and I will see each and every one of you at the next update.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know your thoughts and what you like or dislike. Also, let me know what other fandoms you guys are reading. I’d love to get into some more reading and writing with the extra time I have right now. 
> 
> I have the second chapter complete and edited, so I will likely post it later today or tomorrow. It’s a bit longer and there’s some Clexa interaction at the end :)
> 
> Thanks as always, 
> 
> SJ


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